Property Articles

Apps To Help You With Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety is something that we can all experience at times, however in the midst of the coronavirus there will likely be more of us than ever who are suffering with anxiety. There are plenty of techniques to help you manage levels of anxiety, with one of the key innovations being the development of apps, we have found some of the best apps to help you cope with the current situation and beyond.

1) Stress & Anxiety Companion
Recommended by the NHS, this application helps you to handle stress and anxiety on the go through the use of breathing exercises, relaxing music and games designed to calm the mind.

2) Calmer You
Calmer You is a new app developed by Headspace’s former head of Research. The app brings together a range of tools from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy through to workouts, all with the aim to find a personalised approach that helps soothe your anxiety.

3) ReachOut Breathe
Focusing specifically on breathing techniques, this app guides you through your breathing telling you when to inhale and exhale in order to counter some of the effects of anxiety. You can customise the techniques which work best for you and the user interface can also measure your heart rate.

4) Self-Help For Anxiety Management (SAM)
This is an anxiety-soothing app with a difference; it encourages users to think about situations which cause them anxiety and how they react. Through identifying different types of anxiety and triggers, a toolkit is developed to help you cope better – one of the key features of this application is the multi-faceted approach which it takes in dealing with your symptoms.

5) Mindshift
Perfect for the current situation as this application can focus on general worry, social anxiety, perfectionism, panic, phobia or another kind of anxiety. For each specific concern, the application can create tailored coping plans which should aid you in finding an equilibrium.

6) MoodMission
If you are looking for a more light-hearted manner in which to find your perfect coping method, then sample MoodMission. This application uses games and app rewards designed to motivate you to improve your mental fortitude.

7) Sanvello
During the Coronavirus this usually paid-for app has been made free of charge due to the demand on downloads; tracking your exercise, meals, family time and other habits it can pinpoint your bouts of anxiety.

Create your own vegetable patch using just scraps

Are you making the most out of your food shopping? With us all taking fewer trips to the supermarket it can be challenging to keep well stocked on your veggies. But did you know that you can grow your own vegetables and make your very own vegetable patch purely from the scraps that you would usually throw away! Not only does this save you money, it allows you make some home grown produce and sparks a new hobby. We’ve included a list of which scraps you can use to grow your own vegetables below and how to nurture them to make the best produce!

1. Celery
Celery can be regrown from the root of the vegetable easily at home. Ensure that you keep 1 – 2 inches of the celery base as this is the part that it grows from. To grow your own celery, you place the base, cut side up, into a shallow bowl or saucer of water and ensure that it gets plenty of sunlight; a windowsill should be fine for this. Ensure that you refresh the water regularly and you will soon see roots appearing underneath the base, and leaves growing at the top. Once the roots are more established you can plant your celery in soil, with the top of the base slightly showing above the soil.

(Tip: leeks, fennel, and spring onions can also be grown in the same way!)

2. Potatoes
Did you know that you can use potato peelings to grow your own potatoes! If you have a potato that is beginning to sprout, save the piece of potato peeling that is sprouting and dry it out (overnight is usually enough time). Then you can simply plant the piece of peeling in soil, ensuring that the sprouting part is facing upwards as that is the part that grows. After a couple of weeks’ you should see the potato begin to sprout through the soil.

3. Lettuce
Lettuce can be regrown from scraps in a similar way to celery. Ensure that you keep 1 – 2 inches of the base of the lettuce put the base cut side up in a shallow bowl or saucer of water (ensure that it gets plenty of sunlight). You should change the water if it begins to get cloudy.

A lettuce will survive on your windowsill if you do not have a garden to plant it in, but you can also plant the lettuce in soil for faster growth. When fully grown, ensure to use the lettuce leaves starting outwards, to encourage better regrowth.

4. Onions
An onion can be re-grown from the root. If you want to grow your own onions, ensure that your root scrap has at least half an inch of onion attached. You can then simply plant this into a pot of damp soil and leave in plenty of sunlight. As long as you remember to water your onions, you should see the shoots begin to appear from the soil after a couple of weeks!

5. Peppers
The seeds inside peppers can be used just like any other plant seed would be planted. With the nice weather we have been experiencing you are able to plant the seeds straight into the ground; but they can also be planted in pots of damp soil if it’s too cold outside. Ensure that you plant the seeds in a spot that gets lots of sunlight and remember to water them. These will not require too much attention and usually grow quite quickly. Once they have grown, remember to save some of the new seeds to regrow your crop.

6. Herbs
Herbs such as coriander, parsley, and basil can be regrown from the stems of the herbs; so your meals can always be flavoursome! To regrow these, ensure that you have around 2 inches of stem (with a couple of leaves on top) and place this into a small cup of water for a around a week. Once you begin to see small roots sprouting you can plant them into a pot of soil ensuring that they get plenty of sunlight. You must be careful not to over water your herbs once planted in pots to encourage better growth. Once your herbs have regrown, try and ensure that there are always herb leaves left on the plant so that you so not have to start your growing process from the beginning again.

How are financial services currently affected by the coronavirus?

What is happening to borrowing rates?

Financial services, like all other business sectors, have had to make changes to respond to the current health pandemic’s effect on the economy. Less people spending money has caused financial services to make adaptations necessary to prevent damage to the financial market. The Bank of England has cut the base rate to a record low of 0.1% to reduce the cost of borrowing for consumers and minimise disruption over the coming months. This is the Bank's lowest ever interest rate in its 325 year history.

What does this mean for mortgages?

Mortgage rates are falling in line with the cheaper cost of borrowing. Although new mortgage applications are mostly on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions, those with existing mortgages should consider switching to a different offer; as they could access some great deals!

What mortgage deals are available?

Mortgage lenders are starting to bring new deals to the market for both fixed rate and tracker mortgages. Experian have launched a user-friendly remortgage calculator to support customers in the search process for the best deals on the market. They have also stated that using this will not impact on credit scores.

The greatest saving can be made for those who already own large amounts of equity on their homes, or those that have put down large deposits. However, that should not stop you from considering a new mortgage deal.

How long does my mortgage offer last?

Usually, a mortgage offer is valid to you for three months. This is from the date that the offer was made to you, up when you take the funds. However, within the current conditions, lenders are offering an additional three-month extension to their offers.

Healthy habits to see you through lockdown

It can be easy to become demotivated spending so much time indoors at home; especially if you were used to being out of the house more often than in. However, it is important that we pay attention to our mental health and wellbeing to ensure that we are looking after ourselves. Whilst we have so much more time on our hands, we have an opportunity to adopt some healthy habits into our usual routines to keep us feeling good. Continue below for some ways to improve your wellbeing.

Drink Water

We all know that we should drink more water, but it can be easier said than done. Water is so important for our health as it performs a range of vital functions in our body. Our body is made up of 60% water! When we don’t drink enough of it, we can become dehydrated causing tiredness, poor concentration, and headaches. Most of us should drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. For a different taste we can also try herbal teas, coconut water, and include foods in our diet that have a high-water content.

There are also apps that can help us to remember to drink throughout the day, such as Plant Nanny. Plant Nanny allows you to grow a virtual plant and water it every time you drink a glass of water to help it grow.

Eat Healthily

A balanced diet is a healthy diet. We should include a variety of foods in our diets to ensure that we get all the nutrients and vitamins for our body. Some ways that we can incorporate a healthy diet into our lifestyles is by meal planning. Now that we are spending more time at home, we have more time to cook meals from fresh. So now is the time to get out those recipe books or head to the many online recipes available at the click of a button.

Another tip to encourage healthy eating is to keep healthy snacks around. This will ensure that you do not binge on unhealthy treats. Baking your own healthy snacks is a great way to understand what you’re eating (such as making your own granola bars).

Exercise

Research shows that exercise can help to relieve stress, improve mood, and stimulate the production of endorphins which can create feelings of happiness for us. So, it is the perfect remedy for days where we might feel stuck in a rut. It obviously improves physical health too!

There are hundreds of free online workouts that you can follow. Or you can make it as simple as going for a walk or a run, dancing in your living room, or doing some yoga. The more we can get our bodies moving during this time the better we will feel.

Be More Present

If there is one thing that has changed for most of us during lockdown, it’s that our lives have slowed down. No longer are we rushing around from the moment we get out of bed in the morning.

We can use our additional time spent at home to learn how to be more present, which essentially means to be focused on the one thing that you are doing, or the people you are with. Practicing mindfulness can help with this. There are many apps available to try, such as Headspace. Headspace talks you through short breathing and mindfulness techniques to calm the mind and promote positive health. Keeping a gratitude diary can also help you to focus on what you have in your life without always thinking about more.

Connect With Family And Friends

Although we can’t meet up with our family and friends as normal, it is so important to stay in regular contact with them. With the endless digital tools that we have available, it’s so easy to do this. There are many ways to be inventive when connecting online through social media or video call. There are games and quizzes you can play; as well as having a good old chat. Keeping in touch with people will boost our sense of belonging as well as providing crucial support to those we care about. Our relationships are so important to us so create a habit of checking in with family and friends more often.

Our homeschooling timetable to keep the kids entertained

Now that we are getting used to the lockdown restrictions, it may be good idea to find a new routine with your children in order to keep their learning fun and exciting. We have put together an example timetable full of free resources that will more than see you through the rest of the lockdown period.

 

9am – PE With Joe Wickes
Who better to kick your day off with than the body coach himself? Now something of a staple for many schoolchildren’s days, Joe Wickes’ morning YouTube sessions are the perfect way to get your little ones to burn off some of that excess energy and get the endorphins flowing. Visit his channel here https://www.youtube.com/user/thebodycoach1 

 

9.30am – Geography With Steve Backshall
A very familiar face to your little ones with programmes all over the BBC and beyond, Steve Backshall is broadcasting live geography lessons to bring wildlife into your home. Watch here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-URP49TgSgyIU1rgh2m7A/

10.00am – Science with Konnie Huq
Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq is now posting regular videos to her YouTube channel covering all sorts of topics; from cookery to science. Each video is easy-to-follow and around 20 minutes long, so perfect for a short attention span! Look at what has been posted already here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDlSobQTc4IifJEu6Lt22eA/videos

11.00am – BREAK
It’s important to ensure that you aren’t overwhelming your children in your efforts to home-school and keep them occupied, therefore remember to include breaks in your timetable that allow them to take a breather. Concentrating for shorter, more intense bursts will reap greater rewards in the long-term so give them time between lessons to play and relax.

11.30am – Literacy With JK Rowling
Children (and adults) around the world will recognise JK Rowling thanks to the hugely popular Harry Potter series. Rowling has now released a Harry Potter at home resource that is a huge library of activities and resources designed to nurture a child’s literacy skills – all within the realms of Harry Potter. Visit the page here, this is sure to be a lifesaver https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/harry-potter-at-home

12.30pm – Lunch
You have made it halfway through the day – you need a pat on the back! Why not bring your littles ones into the kitchen to help you make the lunch?

1.30pm – Story Time With David Walliams
Ease your children back into the swing of things by listening to David Walliams free stories, available from 11am each day. https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/

2.00pm – Science With Professor Brian Cox
Who better to teach your children science than acclaimed Professor Brian Cox? On the STEM learning website you can find easy experiments which will no doubt captivate your children’s minds and could encourage the next wave of scientists https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/collection/314734/brian-cox-school-experiments

3.00pm – Spanish With Sergio Aguero
The BBC is launching BBC Bitesize Daily which features outstanding resources, split by year group, level and lesson. A star-studded line up is included in the teaching roster, including Spanish with Sergio Aguero, History with Danny Dyer and Geography with David Attenborough. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/dailylessons

How to prepare your property for sale

With demand for property prior to lockdown soaring, there are sure to be plenty of motivated buyers once restrictions are relaxed, therefore now is an ideal time to prepare your property for a quick sale.

Kerb appeal
As is always the case with selling properties, a first impression can make or break a sale with a poorly presented property often putting off buyers before they have even set foot in the home. In the summer this is especially important as buyers will often drive or walk past a property before they decide to book a viewing. With the summer sun shining a light on any less-than-perfect parts of the exterior of your property, you should ensure that flowers are planted, weeds are pruned and lawns are mowed. Extra attention to details, such as ensuring that the front door has been cleaned and the windows are streak-free will pay dividends in your selling process.

Accessories
A neutral interior will appeal to a mass market and increase the scope of your property in terms of potential buyers, but if you are looking to make the most of the summer then don’t be afraid of colour. Using accessories to add pops of colour around your home that reflect the brighter summer season – such as burnt orange and lemon – will make your property stand out from the crowd in those all-important photographs.

Lights
When we think of summer, we all first think of sunshine and brighter evenings – so make the most of this light when presenting your home for sale. Get rid of heavy curtains and dark blinds, which can make a room feel smaller and prevent the light from entering a room. Buyers want to feel that rooms are bright and spacious, so if at all possible have windows and doors open throughout the house to create a light, airy feeling (as well as bringing in those fresh summer scents).

Set dress
Set dressing refers to the arranging of a room or space in order to paint a picture of the kind of lifestyle which could be enjoyed in your property. Never is it more important to set dress your garden than throughout the summer months, with potential buyers wanting to know that they will be able to enjoy the outdoor space which your home provides. Tempt potential buyers by showing off your outdoor spaces with garden furniture, fire pits and barbecues.

Viewing times
During the summer months many people like to start work early and leave early in order to benefit from the longer evenings; make sure that you can accommodate as many viewings as possible by being flexible with your viewing times. Allowing people to view your home early in the morning, as well as in the afternoon will help bring more people through the door as well as showing off your property in favourable lighting.

Lockdown DIY jobs that you can complete

Whilst we’re spending more time at home than ever before, has there been a better opportunity to complete those DIY jobs that you just never quite got round to? Why not make the most of the extra time at home and tackle one of our easy lockdown DIY tasks…

1. Tackle the woodwork

Doors, skirting boards and any coving that you may have in your home are one of those jobs that we all shirk away from as they are time-consuming and a little tedious. However, they can also finish a room to a higher standard, and therefore why not set yourself the task of refreshing the woodwork around your home? If you don’t have materials such as gloss and primer, you can still order them online, otherwise a little elbow grease and soapy water will do the trick in reviving them for now.

2. Perfect the painting

Have some paint stored away for when you were going to refresh the living room? Get those tins of paint out and why not pick a room to give a new lease of life to? Do it as a family and have the kids tape up edges and areas which you want to keep free of the new paint colour, and then if you are brave enough set them loose with a paint brush to learn some valuable skills. On average, having a professional repaint a room will cost between £100 and £150, therefore you are also saving on potential unwanted expenditure.

3. Organise your home

Marie Kondo says “The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t” – why not embody this mantra and organise your home, you will be amazed by how much it also frees up your mind. Start small, and organise your wardrobes at first – simply bag up what you don’t wear anymore or no longer like and once the lockdown is lifted you can donate. Once your wardrobes are tidied, you may be inspired to keep on tidying!

4. Create a picture gallery

With the likes of online photo developers such as Snapfish, photographs and prints have never been cheaper to acquire, therefore why not sift through your mobile and pick some photographs that you would like to see every day. You can have them developed, and then choose a space in your home to inject some personality into, at the moment eclectic photo frames hung on stairwells are proving very popular as a design focus.

5. Get into the grout

Grouting isn’t usually on anybody’s list in terms of design touches, however very few things can make a space look as unkempt as discoloured or dirty grouting. Whilst you have a little spare time on your hands, why not give your grouting some TLC in your kitchen and bathrooms? A solution of warm water, salt and bleach will have the power to remove most stains, or if you need something stronger then you can purchase grout pens which restores grout to its original colour.

6. Upcycle

At the moment, having a personal project to work on can be good not just for our homes, but also for our mental health as we can take some immediate gratification from our efforts. Whether you choose something small like a chest of drawers which you paint and restore, or a larger project such as restoring your kitchen cupboards just remember to take your time and enjoy the process.

Property programmes to inspire you

If you’re missing the thrill of looking at new properties and imagining your next home, we have put together a list of programmes which will help inspire your next property purchase. Available on streaming platforms to fit into your timetable, this selection should give you a taste of what could be possible with your own home and future properties.

 

Netflix

• How To Live Mortgage Free With Sarah Beeny – Property entrepreneur Sarah Beeny meets with different individuals who have managed to clear their mortgages by using simple and effective tricks.
• Tidying Up With Marie Kondo – Tidying guru Marie Kondo has become somewhat of a sensation over the past few years in helping people declutter their homes and their lives.
• The Apartment – In this reality series hosted by design icon Jamie Durie, interior designers show off their design skills each week in a bid to win the overall prize.
• Amazing Interiors - This series shows that we should never judge a book by its cover as each of the properties featured looks relatively ordinary from the outside, with the interiors then anything but ordinary.
• The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes – Living up to its title, this series explores the world and discovers the most unbelievable properties, from Norwegian valley homes to Spanish cliff-face villas.

Amazon

• Homes By Design – This series focuses on a different design aspect each episode and looks at superb examples of property architecture throughout the Americas and Europe. From Gothic Revival architecture, to ocean inspiration this series truly does have it all.
• Homes Under The Hammer – Originally made famous on the BBC, this series is also available on Amazon and showcases properties bought auction which are then restored by their new owners with the express intention to sell them quickly or let them for profit.
• CoCoCozy Design House – CoCoCozy is regarded as one of the top design influencers around the world, and this series chronicles the latest design project from the renowned design house.
• The Really Big Flip – Flipping a house is the process of buying a property that is ripe for restoration and then selling it on as quickly as possible for a profit. This challenge programme follows three teams who are tasked to do just that.

 

Channel 4 On Demand

• Property Ladder – Amateur developers source run-down homes for them to develop and sell for a profit, but along the way they are presented with challenges both financial and logistical.
• The Property Chain – Perfect for those who have never purchased for, this series follows property chains and explores the whole process – from offers being accepted all the way through to move-in day.
• Location, Location, Location – A Channel 4 favourite fronted by Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer, this programme follows different individuals and couples on their property searches.
• Big House, Little House – In this series, two sets of couples with budgets at different ends of the spectrum create amazing new spaces in their homes.

How to increase your kerb appeal

With us all spending more time at home, it is an opportunity to pay closer attention to our homes where we usually don't have the time to. Especially the front of our homes! If you were planning on getting your property on the market you can still prepare for this during this time. Making a good first impression is key when presenting your home; and the first thing potential buyers see is the front of your house. The homes that perform the best are the ones that can grab the attention from the off, and thankfully, maximising your kerb appeal doesn’t have to break the bank! So we've included some tips below:

1) Front and centre

The front door is always a good place to start, especially as it’s one of the first things that people see when it comes to your home. UPVC doors can be cleaned easily enough with the right product, and if you’ve a wooden door, why not consider a fresh lick of paint? You can also bring your garage or front gate into the equation for a bit of colourful synchronicity.

Giving your letterboxes and door handles a polish shows good attention to detail, but if they’re looking a little tired, don’t be afraid to replace them.

2) Plot your path to success

The path to your front door or outdoor paving stones can get dirty with ease, so applying some TLC, whether that’s with a pressure washer or a good ol’ bucket of warm water and a scrubbing implement will instantly help your outside space.

If you have paving stones, then keeping your weeds in check is also a shrewd move; pulling out the weed killer for large front porches, paths or driveways will make things look far neater.

3) Plant an impression

A simple touch, but an effective one. Adding some greenery around your front door suggests to the naked eye that you take care of your property and look after your home, so look into some potted plants to go outside your front door. Hanging baskets are another option if ground space is limited.

4) Window dressing

The windows on your front room are another area where little touches can make a big difference. Keep on top on cleaning your curtains and blinds for a tidy appearance, and also the inside of your windows. If your windows aren’t providing you with enough insulation, you could even look at replacing them altogether in the future.

5) Night Lights

Finally, take a look at the area around your front door at night and imagine how much more welcoming it could be with a bit of light. A solar-powered light is easy to install, charges itself during the day and won’t cost you extra in your bills! If you have an outdoor power supply this will help if you’re looking to install something akin to a classic-style lamp, but you needn’t go overboard.

Rental market in prime position to bounce back

The effects on the property market of Covid-19 are clear; with the general populous on lockdown there are bound to be fewer movements. However, new research from the Zoopla Rental Index has indicated that people are already making rental plans for once the lockdown period is over, a positive sign for the lettings market.

In the two weeks to 14th April, demand for rental property increased by almost a third, albeit this is following the downturn due to the coronavirus in March which saw a 57% fall in demand. Year on year, rents are up 2.4% which is largely in line with annual growth seen towards the end of 2019 and in February of this year. Essentially, we are seeing demand for rental properties growing much more quickly than for sales properties, and rents are holding steady in unfavourable conditions.

“The flexibility of the rental market is one of the key factors which has allowed activity to bounce back more quickly than other parts of the property market,” said Gráinne Gilmore, head of research, Zoopla. “The rise in demand in the first two weeks in April indicates that some tenants are already mapping out their next move.

“As with the whole housing market however, activity levels and rental growth will likely be closely aligned to the economic landscape of the UK once the lockdown eases and the immediate impact of Covid-19 starts to recede.

“Rental growth has increased steadily for the last 3 years as demand has increased in the face of dwindling new supply. However, If the responses to COVID-19 contribute to a rise in unemployment, as some official bodies have forecast, this will reduce the scope for any additional growth in rents. We expect growth to moderate this year, but to remain in positive territory.”

Restrictions abroad are being lifted; what can we learn?

As some of our closest neighbours across the pond in Europe begin to lift their most severe lockdown restrictions, there are now questions concerning our own lockdown and when it will end. As well as the question of when is the question of how; we look at other European countries to see what we can glean from them, as well as the sentiment of the British public.

Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Austria are among the leading European countries who are taking steps to end their own lockdowns, with schooling at the top of each of their lists. As lockdowns begin to ease, it seems that reopening schools, albeit daycare and primary schools only in most cases, are amongst the first to return to normality. When our own restrictions are eased, expect early-years childcare to be amongst the first to return to normality.

As well as schooling, smaller retail units are also being reopened fairly promptly, with countries producing lists of “approved businesses” – including hairdressers, DIY shops and flower shops. Germany has opened retail units based on their size, with any business that has a floorspace less than 800 square metres allowed to trade as usual, as long as social distancing measures are still adhered to. Austria has taken a more stringent view on opening “non-essential” shops, allowing shops to open with a floorspace of less than 400 square metres, half of that of the German restriction.

 

In terms of our own restrictions, we may see a clear-cut policy of the Government allowing shops with a specific floorspace to reopen, as in Germany and Austria, or we could go down the route of specific retail units being allowed to open due to their economic significance.

Whilst these lockdowns abroad are slowly lifted, it is important to note that there are still strict measures in place. Lockdowns across Europe are not being simply lifted, instead there is a slow and steady opening of schooling facilities, shops by necessity or size and social distancing measures are still strictly enforced.

The wearing of face masks is also becoming a familiar sight across the continent as people return to their daily lives; in some countries such as Austria the wearing of masks is obligatory in order to quell a second peak of infections. There is some scientific consternation around the efficacy of wearing face masks, and the British Government has indicated concerns that making the wearing of face masks obligatory could have detrimental effects on the supply of PPE to the NHS, therefore this may not be something we see widespread across the UK.

Whilst the past month or so has seen life in the United Kingdom, and indeed across the world, change enormously due to the coronavirus there are encouraging signs from our European comrades that life will start to return to normal in the fairly near future. Expect a measured and hesitant approach to relaxing lockdown regulations as the Government seeks to hone an exit strategy that allows for the economy and health services to recover, whilst simultaneously avoiding another surge in cases – therefore early years schooling, potentially followed by secondary schools and specific retail outlets will most likely be the first to reopen. Interestingly, it seems that as a country we are amongst the most concerned with regards to the threat of coronavirus, with a March poll published in the Journal of Risk Research finding that the UK had the highest level of perceived risk out of all the countries surveyed – this could indicate that we would be amongst the most receptive to a slower and more measured easement of lockdown restrictions than our closest counterparts.

How to be more productive through lockdown

With lockdown currently in place and the restrictions set for the near future, very few of us will ever have had so much time on our hands. It would be easy to let this time pass by, so we have put together some top tips on how to make this lockdown period more productive.

Routine
If you’re working from home, then the likelihood is that you already have some sort of routine as you need to be answering those video calls and available to answer the phone during normal business hours. However, if you aren’t working at the moment, then the days can merge together due to a lack of structure. We would recommend finding your own routine, even if you’re not working – getting up at a set time and having some structure to your day will help your mental wellbeing and with the compartmentalisation of your time.

Small Manageable Goals
The key to productivity is being effective over sustained periods, and that means lots of small but easily identifiable goals. Think about reading a large book – 30 chapters may seem excessive, but 3 per day is much easier to achieve and will at least have you making some headway into the task – by setting a target that is easily achievable, you will often motivated to exceed it and as such be even more productive.

Learn A Language
One way to make the most of this lockdown period is to learn a new skill, such as acquiring a new language. With websites and applications such as Duolingo offering structured and methodical teaching techniques for learning a new language. We would recommend a language such as French if you are going to teach yourself as you will probably have some basics ingrained from school, and the sentence structure and word stems are comparable to English.

Organise Your Home
There has truly never been such an opportune moment to organise your home and get rid of all those possessions that you no longer need! Why not look back at the lockdown as the time you organised your home; think about the kitchen cupboards, wardrobe, bath cabinet – all of the spaces that can be neglected.

Organise Your Finances
With the lockdown bringing with it fiscal implications for many of us, now is a good time to take stock of your personal finances. Spend some time analysing your own personal finances, looking at your monthly expenditure, savings, mortgage or rent and see how you can improve on your current status. That may mean opening a savings account and depositing just a little each month, or cancelling services that you no longer use, such as expensive gym memberships. Taking stock of your finances now could put you in a better place in future years, as you create better spending and saving habits.

Ways to cut your spending during the coronavirus

We could all use a little extra financial help in this current health crisis. Some people may have lost their jobs, some may be working reduced hours, or some may be taking furlough leave. With schools also closed, there is added pressure to provide for the household. Whatever your circumstances, we’re sure that our tips to reduce your monthly outgoings will help!

Check your direct debit payments

Now that we are spending more time at home, we can use this time to check over our finances to see that everything is in order; something that not everybody usually has the time to do. With online banking accessible to everyone, we can access our bank statements and double check our outgoings and ditch any memberships or plans that we don’t really need or use.

Consider a new mortgage deal

With borrowing rates at an all time low, it is a good time to be on the hunt for a new mortgage deal. According to Zoopla, the average cost of a two-year fixed rate mortgage has fallen from 2.36% on 1st April, to 2.13% now, while the cost of a five year fixed rate deal has dropped from 2.66% to 2.37%. Although there are slightly less mortgage deals available, lenders are still introducing new options for borrowers. So why not see what you could save?

Reduce your energy bills

Now that we’re experiencing some lovely warm weather, we can reduce the time our heating is on (or turn it off completely). If you are still using your heating, try lowering the temperature of this – even just by a couple of degrees. By reducing your thermostat, even by just one degree lower, you could save around £50 a year!

We should also be more attentive to our electricity usage. With us being at home more often than normal it is important to check that unused appliances are not left on standby, and lights are off in rooms we aren’t using. All of this will help to reduce your electricity bill. You could even consider using a smart meter to monitor your utility usage.

Ebay!

Now is a great time to have a clear out of things that you no longer need or use. You might even find some brand new items that you’ve never used before. List them on eBay as other people might be interested in your items. You can have a tidier house and a healthy bank balance with this one.

Check on your savings

With the recent reduction on interest rates it may be worth checking up on your savings account to ensure that you are getting the best return for your money. If you’re not locked into a savings account, you can shop around for the best rates. There are many different savings accounts out there so a comparison site might help you to search for this.

Check your mobile phone contract

When was the last time that you checked your mobile phone contract? If it has been a while, now is a good time to check this as it is likely that you are over paying. If your contract has ended you could swap to a sim only deal which could considerably reduce your monthly outgoings. You can obtain some sim-only deals for under £10 a month!